Method of making sets for moving pictures



Feb. 21, 1933.- J F S m 1,898,904

METHOD OF MAKING SETS FOR MOVING PICTURES Filed Nov. 10. 1925 s Sheets-Sneet 1 ill/01w ya Feb. 2-1, 1933. F n-z 1,898,904

METHOD OF MAKING SETS FOR MOVING PICTURES Filed Nov. 10, 192s s Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 1933 J. F. SEITZ 1,898,904

METHOD OF MAKING SETS FOR MOVING PICTURES Filed Nov. 10, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 quent construction.

Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PA-TENT OFFICE mm 1'. sum, or noLLYwoon, canroam KITEOD OI KING SETS FOB MOVING PICTURES 'Applicatlon filed. November 10, 1926. Serial No. 147,588.

An object of my invention is to simplify the making of these sets for moving pictures, also to reduce the cost' of constructing sets, particularly those requiring an unusually large amount of modelling or carving, such as for example the portal of a cathedral with all of its statuary, the interiors of alaces etc.

reducing a picture of a contemplated setting to its component elements in regard to perspective and constructing different sets to be placed at different distances from the camera in accordance with the foreground,

thebackground and the intermediate features of the picture,

Another object of my invention is to simplify the making of sets so that these can be .25 made to a great extent by more or less J skilled artisans. In particular these sets arev It is to be understood, also, that my invention applies to and includes drawn or painted sets on afiat backing or'screen. My invention comprehends utilizing a picture (protograph or drawing) of av desired set as the basis for constructing the set desired. From'this picture (photogra h or drawing) a transparency is made. T is transparency is an important step of the invention and is the basis of all the subse- The transparency can follow the photograph or drawing exactly or can be modified,changed or rearranged in any manner to serveas the basis for the desired set, whether it be an exterior struc- 'ture or an interior land 'or seascape.

further object of my invention is in The transparency being completed in the desired manner, it is then projected on a suitable screen (the nature and composition of which haslbeen predetermined). These screens can be made of the usual studio materials such as beaver, board or glass and covered with a suitable plastic material ofthe required thickness such as clay, wax, plaster or any material capable of being molded. The workman follows the design 5 of the projected image, making the indenta-' tions in the plastic material until the full design-of the transparency is impressed on the larger screen. The artisan can also use paint or other color material to bring out contrasts or assist in forming the general effect when desired However, one of the principal objects of this invention is that all or as much as possible of the work be done plastically in relief,full.or partial,

so that when illuminted by sunlight or artificial light it will have the roper depth, a natural light and shade which can only be achieved by solid objects and only approximated with fiat paintings even by the clever? est artists.

For convenience of illustration I will say that a set to be constructed will be in three perspective planes, foreground, middle distance and background.

To construct this we may use one or more transparencies, as one for each plane. The size of the screens having been determined, the transparency is projected on the screen which will serve as the background. The workman follows the design of the projected image, making the indentations in the plastic material.

The middle ground is then constructed on 5 a separate screen, the transparency being projected on the screen, the workman pro- .ceeds to work as he did in constructing the background.

The foreground is then constructed on another screen, the work being done in the same manner.

When these various screens are made they are cut so that the proper action of the actors may take place and when assembled in the desired position the action will appear to take place in the scene of the original pictureor the original picture modified to conform with the setting required by the particular drama being played.

While I have only indicated the use of three transparencies in the construction of this set, it is to be understood that sets may be in many more perspective planes, also that a background or middle screen will sometimes be so large that it would. require several transparencies to properly construct it.

The various features of my invention will be more readily understoodf rom the following description and drawings, in which;

Figure 1 illustrates a picture from which the component parts of the set are to be constructed;

Fig. 2 is a'picture of a screen forming the background, constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the background ofthe picture of Fig. 1;'

Fig. 3 is a screen illustrating the middle distance, showing an object or the like between the foreground and background, this geing constructed utilizing the picture of Fig. dis a screen illustrating the foreground constructed from the picture of Fig.

Fig. 5 is ,a perspective view illustrating the relative positioning of the screens and the manner of making same from a picture such as Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the sets of screens;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the sets of screens in reference to a camera, showin the manner of changing the relative size 0 one element of the picture in reference to the distance Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, illustrating the middle distance feature as being pictures on a reduced scale.

. Referring to Fig 1, this illustrates a picture designated generally by the numeral 1,

' which may be an actual photograph, in this case being a photograph of an'interior or it may be an artists painting or conception in drawing. This picture is typical having three components, these being the background showing in this case Gothic windows and arches, a middle distance structure 3 such as a fountain and a foreground 4, this being an arch having pendants 5. The picture may-be divided into other components but for sake of simplicity these three elements entered into perspective are mentioned. A transparency is made of such photograph or artists picture so that same may be projected from a projecting machine or transparencies may be made for the background, middle distance and foreground.

Presuming the background is constructed first, a screen of suitable material is built up at the proper distance from the projector and the transparency projected thereon in the usual manner. The artist or other workman then follows the lines of the projected picture, working in the various features such as the arches 6, the windows 7 and if desired leaving a blank space 8 occupied by the fountain or middle distance article 3. The surrounding part 9 of the screen may be left blank, this being the part representing the foreground 4. I

It is to be understood that the set so formed may be constructed by painting or by suitable drawings or by utilizing a mold- 12 indicating a fountain. lln constructing this it is to be understood that the whole picture of Fig. 1 or the middle distance part may be projected on the screen and the artist may follow the lines of the middle distance element. In this case the fountain structure is built out to a considerable extent, as indicated by the numeral 12, to give the efi'ect of it being rounded or of irregular shape so that, if desired, receptacles may be placed therein for water or the like flowing in the fountain. After the middle distance article is constructed, the screen is cut away in accordance with the outline of such article, the original screen being indicated in dotted lines 13 in Fig. 5 and the finished set in full lines.

The foreground set 14 is constructed by having a screen, the picture of Fig. 1 or the foreground part being projected thereon, and the artist building and sculpturing in the various features indicated by the" archunderstood that in making the screens T prefer to have such a substantial backing for same that they can be molded, being thus distinct from flat surface painting or crayon,

' or the like, pictures.

" tini ished from moving pictures formed wit merely paintings or drawn sets.

Figs. 5 and 6 represent the substantial rel ative ,osition of the screens of the foregroun that is the 'arch, the middle distance, that is the fountain and the back- -ground,'that is the windows and arches, in relation 'to which the moving drama will be acted. In such case a camera will take the a place of a projectingmachine indicated by .the numeral 17 an n the acting may take lace before the fore round screen 14, that IS the archway or be ind same around the fountain or any place in front of the background. It is also to be understood that if esired the windows in the background may be transparent and various scenes may be photographed throu h the windows.

As it 1s fre uent y necessary to change the size of di erent elements of an actual picture when made into moving picture sets and photogra hed, I may do this by the arrangement s own in Figs. 7 and 8. In this case a camera is indicated by the numeral 18, the foreground set bythe numeral 19, themiddle distance set 20 and the background set 21, these bein sets'made from the, screens .as mentione If the middle distance set 20, that is the fountain is to be illustrated larger than as shown in-the original picture, it is moved nearer the foreground 'set 19 and if it isdesired to show same smaller than in the original picture it is moved closer to the background set as shown in Fig. 8. -Where it is moved nearer to the background set it would be necessary fill in to a certain extent the rtion 8 which was left blank as describe in connection 'withFig. 2. It is obvious also that the middle distance set, the foreground and background sets may be shifted in relation 'to each other and if desired the middle distance set may be positioned laterally in regard to the sets 19 and 21 and also that the sets 19 and 21 may be located at an angle one to the otherto give a difierent representation than in the ,picture as shown in Vhile the above method of making sets has been illustrated as having to do with an'interiorof a building,it is obvious thatthe same principles may be adapted'to substantiallyany type of constructed set.

While the primary object 'offthis up the set by is the construction of sets for motion-pic It is to be understood that when making I sets in accordance with the procedure disclosed in connection with Figs. 1 through 8, these sets or scenes would preferabl be made in the work-shop and assembled on the stage or lot where the picture is-to. be photographed. It is also apparent that in projecting a Picture on the screen only certain parts 0 this picture need be copied, if desired, and other details can be worked out by a skilled workman, to satisfy the particular photographic effect desired in the completed picture.

It is to be noted that a characteristic feature of m' invention as disclosed herein embodies t e rojection of a picture on a screen, and, w ile the picture 1s still bein projected, the artist and workmen buil ainting or sculpturing, or by other metho known in; the moving picture art. M application herein, therefore, distinctly di erentiates from my prior Patent No. 1,616,237, dated Feb. 1, 1927, in which the enlargement of a hotograph, or

' the like, is made by so-called rush developing, which is in reality a photographic procedure. where I use such terms as projecting a picture on a screen and making a set from such picture it is to be distinctly understood that there is no enlarged or equivalent photograph made on the screen, but the set is made up rom the outlines of the pro'ected picture.

Various changes may be made in the principles of m invention without departing from the splrit thereof as set forth in the description, drawings and claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of making the fixed scenery for moving picture sets, comprising projecting a picture on a first screen, makin a first portion of the fixed scenery on the rst Therefore, in this, application,

screen while the picture is being projected on such screen, said portion corresponding to part of the projected picture, projectin at least part of the picture on a secon screen in proper perspective relation to the whole picture, and to the first screen, and

making a second portion of the fixed scenery ran on said second screen while the picture is i being projected on' the second screen, said second portion corresponding to another part of-the rojected picture,

2. T e method ofv making the fixed scenery, for moving picture sets as claimed in claim 1, projecting at least part of the picture on a, third screen in proper perspective, to the whole picture and whilesuch picture is projecting on the third screen making at different distances from a photographic camera and from each other to obtain the proper perspective of the prepared sets in relation to actors actingin relation. to the vsets.

3. The method of making the fixed scencry for moving picture sets comprising preparing a picture representing different portions of the set such as a foreground anda background, projecting this picture on a first screen and while the picture is being projected preparing at least part of the scenery of the background on the first screen, positioning a second screen infront of the first screen, projecting the same picture on the second screen on a properly proportioned scale whereby portions representing the foreground are shown in proper perspective relation to the background, and while such picture is being projected forming at least part of the, fixed scenery of the foreground on such second screen, the scenery corresponding at least in part to the picture projected, the two screens being adapted on completion to be positioned in a set in proper perspective relation to a camera and to actors performing in relation to the said screens and to each other.

at. The method of mahng the fixed scencry for moving picture sets comprising preparing a picture showing portions of a background, middle distance and foreground of the set, projecting such picture on a background screen and while such picture is projected preparing at least part of the background scenery on the background screen, secondly positioning a middle distance screen in proper perspective relation to the projected icture and to the backa ground screen an while such picture is being projected preparing at least a part of the middle distance scenery on themiddle I distance screen, thirdly positioning a foreground screen'm proper perspective relation to the picture and to the middle distance screen and projecting the picture thereon and while projected preparing at least part of the foreground scenery on the foreground screen, the scenery correspond-- ing at-least 'in part to the picture projected,

the background screen, middle distance screen and foreground screen being adapted to be positioned in a set in proper perspective relation to a camera and to the actors performing in relation to said scenery.

5. The method of making moving picture sets comprising preparing apicture representing at least part of a background and at least part of a foreground of the :fixed scenery of a motion picture set, projeciwing at least part of said picture on a background screen and while projected on such screen preparing at least part of the background fixed scenery, secondly projecting'at least part of the said picture on a foreground screen, such screen being positioned in proper perspective relation to the picture and to the background screen and while projected ,7 on the foreground screen prep'aring at I for moving picture sets comprising preparing a picture showing at least part of a background and foreground of a moving picture set, projecting such picture on a background screen'and while projected preparing at least part of the fixed background scenery on the background screen, secondly positioning a foreground screen in front of the background screen and'in proper perspective relation to the picture and to the background screen, projecting the picture thereon, and while projected preparing at least partof the fixed foreground scenery on the said second screen, the scenery correspondin at least in part to the picture projected, the said screen being adapted to be used in the relation 0 positioning relative to the projector and to a camera used in photographing actors performing in relation to the fixed scenery on the fixed screens;

7. The method of making the fixed scenery for moving picture sets comprising preparing a picture showing at least part of a background and a foreground of the set, projecting at least part of such picture on the background screen while projected preparing at least part of the fixed background scenery on such screen and molding portions of the scenery forward of the screen,

projected preparing at least part of the fixed scenery of the foreground on the foreground screen, and molding projections on the front I of such latter screen, the scenery corresponding at least in part to the. picture projected, the said screens being adapted to be positioned in a set in proper perspective relation to a camera and to actors performing in relation to said screens.

'8. The method of making the fixed scenery for moving picture sets comprising preparing a picture representing the scenery and projecting'at least part of said picture on a first screen, making a first portion ofthe fixed scenery while the picture is being rojected on the first screen, projecting at ust part of the picture on a second screen in proper perspective relation to the whole picture and to the first screen and makin a second portion of the fixed scenery on sai second screen while the icture is pro'ected thereon, the scenery ing prepare on the side of the screens on which the icture is being projected, and corres n mg at least in part to the picture pro ected, and eliminating at least a portion of one of the screens.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' JOHN F. 'SEITZ. 

